The Other Solo

Chapter 16

Three years later...

"Jaina... Are you awake?"

Jaina groans at the whisper squeezing her eyes tighter while turning over. She knocks into Poe next to her and opens her eyes. He adjusts his arm around her but stays asleep. She watches his eyes fluttering under his eyelids and smiles at his peaceful face as he snores lightly.

"Darling... if you're awake please come to me..."

Jaina's eyes shift to the door of her room realizing her mother is the one calling out to her. Slowly she slides out of the covers and feels around the room for her jumpsuit not wanting to turn on the lights and wake Poe. She would much rather stay snuggled in bed with him but it must be urgent if her mother is using the force to wake her.

Before exiting she turns one last time to check on Poe. He lays in the same position cradling her pillow instead of her. She tiptoes back over to him and kisses his forehead softly then hurries out of the room.

Jaina makes her way down the halls to her mother's quarters. Even though they have been stationed at the D'Qar base for about a year she still gets lost. Most of the base is underground with only a few small windows letting in natural light, it's a bit depressing especially for someone used to living in a palace or the peaceful Jedi temple. After a few wrong turns she makes it to her mother's room. Leia opens the door immediately without Jaina knocking.

"Thank you for coming." Leia greets moving to let Jaina in.

"What's wrong?" Jaina questions.

"I'm sorry to wake you. I need to send you on a mission."

"Ok, but couldn't this have waited for the morning?" Jaina yawns.

"No, I'm afraid you must leave at dawn. You must get to Hosnian Prime quickly and undetected..." Leia replies.

"Hosnian Prime? There are First Order sympathizers all over the capital!" Jaina huffs.

"Which is why you will be escorting Korr Sella... She will be my envoy in the Senate. I need you to protect her and maybe help her." Leia says crossing the room to sit on the bed.

"Help her? Besides protecting her what else can I do to assist her?" Jaina sits on the bed next to her mother.

"Jaina, you could help be a voice for the Resistance. You know better than anyone the travesty of Yavin 4 and the threat the First Order poses. "

"I suppose that is true but I've never been good at public speaking." Jaina shrugs.

Leia smiles and pushes Jaina's hair behind her ear. "Well you and Korrie will have plenty of time to work it out."

"How long will I...we be there?" Jaina looks down with a sense of dread at the thought of leaving Poe.

"How ever long it takes to get the Republic to take more action against the First Order." Leia senses her daughter's apprehension. "Are you worried about Ben finding you?"

Jaina shakes her head, "What? No, you know I want to find Ben and get him to come back."

Leia rubs Jaina's back, "I want him back too... This may give you the opportunity to find him. You'll be able to spy on the First Order and get information on him."

Jaina bites her cheek and considers her mother's proposal. This is the first solo mission her mother has given her that wasn't just a supply run. It's such an important mission, once Korr campaigns for the Resistance she'll have a target on her back. If there's any hope to bring down the First Order the Republic needs to be on their side. If she wants to bring Ben to the light she needs to find him and the only way to do that is to be in the action.

Poe would understand, he joined the Resistance to make a difference. How many missions had he been on? She sat by idlily everytime fretting about him, hoping this time wasn't the vision she saw so many years ago. This is her chance to actually do something for the cause. She wouldn't just be the betrayed Jedi that survived a genocide or the daughter of two war heroes, she would just be Jaina - Resistance warrior.

"I'll do it." She grins widely at her mother.